New Testament Revision 2 (first numbering)
New Testament Revision 2
Source Note
Source Note
New Testament Revision 2, ca. 4 Apr. 1831–24 Mar. 1832 and 20–31 July 1832; handwriting of , , , and an unidentified scribe; 206 pages; CHL.
The Bible revision manuscripts remained in JS’s possession throughout his life—except during a brief period in 1838 and another in 1839. Upon the death of JS, the manuscript was in possession of his wife for over twenty years, until 1867 when she gave it to her son so that the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS church) could publish it. It was in the possession of the RLDS church (now Community of Christ) until 2024, when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acquired it. The manuscript is now held at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City.
Note: The transcript of New Testament Revision 2 presented here is used with generous permission of the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center. It was published earlier, with some differences in style, in Scott H. Faulring, Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds., Joseph Smith's New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004), 229–581.
Footnotes
- [1]
Call, “Copied from the Journal of Anson Call,” 9 and Cooper, “Spiritual Reminiscences, No. 2,” Autumn Leaves (January 1891): 18.
Call, Anson. “Copied from the Journal of Anson Call,” 1879. CHL. MS 4783.
Cooper, F. M. “Spiritual Reminiscences.—No. 2,” Autumn Leaves 4, no. 1 (Jan. 1891): 17–20.
- [2]
Emma Smith Bidamon, Nauvoo, IL, to Joseph Smith III, Plano, IL, 10 Feb. 1867, CCLA.
Bidamon, Emma Smith. Materials, 1842–1871. CCLA.
- [3]
The Holy Scriptures: Translated and Corrected by the Spirit of Revelation ([Plano, IL]: [Reorganized] Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1867).
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
As noted in the introduction to Old Testament Revision 1, in June 1830, JS and began recording a revelation related to Moses and other prominent Old Testament figures. (See Visions of Moses, June 1830 [Moses 1].) Eventually this work expanded into what is now designated as the Book of Moses and a complete revelatory re-reading, reviewing, and revising of the Bible, an endeavor that came to be known as JS’s “New Translation,” or Bible revision. By March 1831, JS and his scribes created a sixty-one-page manuscript containing a narrative account of the visions of Moses and a revised version of the Old Testament book of Genesis, from the beginning to chapter 24, verse 41. (See Old Testament Revision 1.)
JS set that work aside when instructed in a March 1831 revelation to instead begin work on the New Testament. (Revelation, ca. 7 Mar. 1831 [D&C 45:60–61].) He and began the new document on 8 March 1831, titling it “A Translation of the New Testament translated by the power of God.” It is currently designated as New Testament Revision 1. , who had been directed by revelation to “write & keep a regulal [regular] history & assist my servant Joseph in Transcribing all things which shall be given him,” (Revelation, ca. 8 Mar. 1831–B [D&C 47:1]) began in early April 1831 to copy New Testament Revision 1 through Matthew 26:1, stopping a little short of where JS and Sidney Rigdon left off before they traveled to in June 1831. (JS History, vol. A-1, 126.)
When JS resumed the revision of the New Testament, he did so using ’s copy, currently designated New Testament Revision 2. He began with Matthew 26:1, though he had previously translated through Matthew 26:71 in New Testament Revision 1. Work continued on the rest of the New Testament through late July 1832. In addition to , JS was assisted by John Whitmer, , and .
New Testament Revision 2, presented here, consists of 203 pages. Work on this manuscript was completed in and , Ohio. During the revision project, JS adopted an abbreviated format for annotating the changes to be made to the New Testament. Previously, JS dictated the entire Bible text to his scribe, revising verses as he read from the Bible. But beginning after John 5, JS marked his copy of the Bible as he read in it, indicating where a change should be made. In the manuscript, the scribes wrote the scripture reference and the specifics of the revisions. Thus, the Bible and manuscript together now constituted the text of the revision project.
In total, JS made changes to about 2,100 New Testament verses (Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 5). He introduced a number of significant changes to the King James New Testament text in New Testament Revision 2. Among the more prominent clarifications and corrections were those in Matthew 24 and Mark 13 related to Jesus’s discourse on the Mount of Olives, as well as those in the beginning verses of the Gospel of John. (See, Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 234, 303, and 424–425.)
Note: The transcript of New Testament Revision 2 presented here is used with generous permission of the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center. It was published earlier, with some differences in style, in Scott H. Faulring, Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds., Joseph Smith's New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004), 229–581.
<5/> to repentance. <5/> & <And> while he was thus teaching, there came to him the Deciples of John, saying, Why do we & the Pharicees fast oft, but thy Deciples fast not? &<And> Jesus said unto them, Can the children <children of the bridechambr> mourn, as long as the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, <&> then Shall they fast. Then said the Pharicees unto him, Why will ye not receive us with our baptism, seing we keep the whole law? But Jesus said unto them, Ye keep not the law. If ye had kept the law, ye would have received me; for I am he that gave the law. I receive not you with your baptism, because it profiteth you nothing. For when that which is new is come, the old is ready to be put away. For no man puteth a piece of new is come the old is ready to be put away for no man puteth a piece of new <new> <cloth on an old garment for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment & th rent is made worse> Choth <Cloth> on an old garment; for that which is put in to fill it up, takeeth from the garment, & the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles; else the bottles brake, & the wine runeth out, and the bottles perish; but they put new wine into new <6/> bottles, & both are preserved. <6/> While he spake this <these> things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler & worshiped him; Saying, My daughter is even now dead <dying>; but come & lay thy hand upon her, & she shall live. & <And> Jesus arose, & followed him, & also his Deciples, <7/> <and much people thronged him.> & <And> behold, a woman which was diseased with an isue of blood twelve years, came behind him, & touched the hem of his garment; for she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, & when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. <8/> & <And> the woman was made whole from that hour. <8/> & <And> when Jesus came into the rulers house, & saw the ministrels & the People makeing a noise, he said unto them, Give place; for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. & <And> they laughed him to scorn. But when the People were put forth, he went in, & took her by the hand, & the maid arose. <9/> & <And> the fame of Jesus went abroad into all that land. <9/> & <And> when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, & saying, Jesus thou Son of David, have mercy on us. & <And> when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him; & Jesus saith <said> unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, Saying, According to your faith, be it unto you. & <And> their eyes were opened; & straitly he charged them, saying Keep my commandments, & see thou tell no man [p. 17 (first numbering)]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes

Sidney Rigdon handwriting ends; John Whitmer begins.
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TEXT: The “C” was erased and subsequently rewritten.
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